M.U.L.E. Returns
M.U.L.E. Returns logo
Developer(s)	Comma 8 Studios
Designer(s)	Dani Bunten
Platform(s)	iOS, Android
Release	25 November 2013 (iOS)
Genre(s)	Turn-based strategy
Mode(s)	Single-player

M.U.L.E. Returns was a strategy mobile game by Toronto-based developer Comma 8 Studios. It was a licensed iOS remake of the 1983 classic M.U.L.E.

Gameplay

The gameplay of M.U.L.E. Returns closely follows that of the original M.U.L.E., though the controls are adapted for mobile device touchscreens. ^[1] Improvements over the original include a pause feature, three difficulty modes, social media integration, and the ability to apply custom skins. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Development

In 2012, Electronic Arts was in licensing negotiations with M.U.L.E.'s original developers, Ozark Softscape, though these were unsuccessful and Ozark ultimately awarded mobile platform rights to Comma 8 Studios. ^[1] Comma 8 began developing the game simultaneously for iOS and Android, using C++ and a framework middleware. ^[1] To create as faithful a reproduction as possible, the developers traced and reimplemented the original 8-bit code. ^[1]

Release

Comma 8 released an official trailer for the game on 27 June 2012, ^{[4] [5]} and discussed the game's development at World of Commodore 2012 in December. ^[1] The game was originally slated to be released in mid-2012, ^[3] though this was pushed back repeatedly, first to the end of the year, ^[6] then to early 2013, ^[1] and finally to late 2013. The game was eventually released for iOS on 25 November 2013 ^[7] and was presented the following week at the 2013 World of Commodore in Toronto. ^[8] However, as of 16 February 2019 ^[update] further development on the game has been discontinued. ^[9]

Reception

Reviewers' attitudes to M.U.L.E. Returns were split. ^[10] Matt Thrower of Gamezebo appreciated the game's "unique and enthralling mixture of strategic concerns propelled forward by real-time pressures" but criticized its patchy tutorial, sloppy artificial intelligence, and showstopping bugs. ^[12] Pocket Gamer's Harry Slater, who is not a fan of the original M.U.L.E., criticized the remake as "outdated, with sloppy touch controls and far-from impressive backdrops". ^[13] 148Apps had a more positive opinion of the game, awarding it four out of five stars and praising its sophisticated supply-and-demand economics. Like Gamezebo, however, they bemoaned its failure to implement the original's multiplayer mode. ^[11]

References

External links

• Official website